﻿5. SAUROMALUS 101 



Distribution. — This very large species is not confined to 

 Angel de la Guardia Island, but occurs also on Smiths, 

 Mejia, Granite, Pond, and South San Lorenzo islands, in 

 the Gulf of California. 



Remarks. — This species is most closely related to S. 

 slevini, but is a much larger, rougher and more unicolor 

 lizard. S. hispidus and S. varius are the largest of the 

 chuckwallas, and are not exceeded in size by the spiny- 

 tailed iguanas (Ctenosaura). S. varius is a very smooth 

 species and very different in color. 



Habits. — This chuckwalla was abundant in rocky can- 

 yons. They were found by looking for the spiny tails 

 protruding from under rocks. On Pond Island they carried 

 about great numbers of long sharp spines of a cactus, Opun- 

 tia, which grew in scattered clumps over the island and 

 under which they ran for shelter. Several were found 

 with spines sticking even into their eyes. All stomachs ex- 

 amined contained vegetable matter. On Granite Island, 

 a small rock ne?r the north end of Angel de la Guardia 

 Island, many dead chuckwallas were found strewn about 

 the tops of the ospreys' nests. 



1 5. Sauromalus varius Dickerson 

 San Esteban Island Chuckwalla 



Sauromalus Townsend, Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist., Vol. XXXV, 1916, 

 p. 428. 



Sauromalus varius Dickerson, Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist., Vol. XLI, 

 1919, p. 464 (type locality, San Esteban Island, Gulf of Cali- 

 fornia, Mexico); Nelson, Mem. Nat. Acad. Sci., Vol. XVI, 1921, 

 p. 171. 



Description. — Head and body very large, much de- 

 pressed, the latter very broad. Head almost triangular, 



